This iced mocha latte combines rich espresso, honey, unsweetened cocoa powder, and creamy oat milk for a café-quality drink you can make at home in under 5 minutes.
I love to test healthy coffee recipes, & I've perfected this mocha that uses honey and cocoa powder to create a refined sugar-free chocolate syrup. Skip the $8 coffee run and make this luxurious iced mocha that's customizable, budget-friendly, and so easy!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Recipe Difficulty: Easy
- Main Ingredients: Espresso, cocoa powder, honey, oat milk
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free
- Serves: 1
- Calories: 206 per serving
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Super delicious! If you love chocolate, you are going to love this spin on a mocha. I sadly didn't have espresso, just used some instant coffee, and it worked great!
- anna
The beauty of this homemade iced mocha lies in its simplicity and control. You decide the sweetness level, chocolate intensity, and coffee strength.
If you love coffee or a little caffeine boost in the morning, try my coffee mocktail, chia coffee recipe, or sweet raspberry matcha!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Ready in just 5 minutes with only 4 ingredients.
- Budget-Friendly: Costs a fraction of coffee shop prices.
- Refined Sugar-Free: Naturally sweetened with honey instead of processed syrups.
- Customizable: Adjust sweetness, chocolate intensity, and milk choice to your preference.
- No Special Equipment: Works with espresso or strong coffee.
- Dairy-Free Option: Uses oat milk, but works with any milk alternative.
- Energy Boost: Contains around 65mg of caffeine per serving.
Key Ingredients
- Espresso or Strong Coffee: Forms the base of any mocha iced coffee. Espresso gives concentrated flavor, but strongly brewed coffee works too. Fresh, hot coffee helps the cocoa dissolve properly.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Adds rich chocolate flavor without extra sugar. Whisk with honey before adding liquid to prevent clumps.
- Honey: Acts as a sweetener and emulsifier, creating a smooth, syrup-like mix.
- Oat Milk: Provides creamy texture and natural sweetness.
Substitutions & Variations
- Espresso: Use a shot of espresso or swap in ¼ cup strong brewed coffee, cold brew concentrate, or instant espresso. For flavor twists, add peppermint extract, vanilla, or a pinch of cinnamon.
- Milk: Oat milk is classic, but almond, coconut, soy, cashew, or dairy milk all work. Blend the milk with a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder for a protein mocha, or blend everything with ice for a frappuccino-style drink.
- Sweetener: Honey adds smooth sweetness, but maple syrup, agave, date syrup, or coconut sugar offer easy alternatives with slightly different flavor profiles.
- Chocolate: Use cocoa powder or swap it with 2 tablespoons of refined sugar-free melted dark chocolate chips for extra richness. For a twist, use melted white chocolate chips to make a white chocolate mocha.
How To Make An Iced Mocha Latte
- Step 1: Whisk the cocoa powder with honey until smooth and glossy. Stir in 1 shot hot espresso (or ¼ cup strong hot coffee) until fully dissolved, then mix in 1 cup cold oat milk until the mocha base is uniform in color.
- Step 2: Fill a tall glass with ice and pour the mocha mixture over the top. Add optional coconut whipped cream, a dusting of cocoa, or a honey drizzle for extra sweetness and presentation.
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Expert Tips
- Dissolve Cocoa Powder Completely: Mix the cocoa with honey first to prevent clumping. This helps it dissolve smoothly once the liquid is added.
- Use Hot Espresso: Even in an iced mocha recipe, start with hot espresso or coffee so the cocoa fully dissolves and the drink stays silky, not grainy.
- Adjust Ratios to Taste: Boost the chocolate flavor by increasing the cocoa or add an extra teaspoon of honey for more sweetness.
- Brew Coffee Double-Strength: If using regular coffee instead of espresso, brew it extra strong so the flavor stays bold once it hits the ice.
Pairing Ideas
This iced mocha recipe pairs perfectly with a sweet breakfast, like my chocolate chunk banana muffins, buckwheat bread topped with whipped honey, or healthy cottage cheese pancakes.
Iced Mocha Latte Frequently Asked Questions
An iced mocha latte is an espresso-based drink combining strong coffee, chocolate (usually cocoa powder or chocolate syrup), milk, and ice. It differs from regular iced coffee by including both chocolate and steamed or cold milk, creating a creamier, dessert-like beverage.
An iced mocha is made by mixing chocolate syrup or cocoa powder with hot espresso first, then adding cold milk and pouring it over ice. The key is dissolving the chocolate in hot liquid before adding cold ingredients to prevent grittiness.
Iced coffee is typically stronger because it contains more coffee and less milk. An iced latte (including mochas) uses a shot of espresso diluted with significantly more milk, resulting in a milder coffee flavor with a creamier texture.
Yes, brew regular coffee using half the normal amount of water for concentrated flavor. Use ¼ cup of this strong coffee in place of the espresso shot. Cold brew concentrate also works excellently.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Iced Mocha Latte
Ingredients
- 1 Shot Espresso or ¼ cup of strong coffee
- 1 Cup Oat Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder unsweetened
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
Instructions
- Whisk the cocoa powder with honey until smooth and glossy. Stir in 1 shot hot espresso (or ¼ cup strong hot coffee) until fully dissolved, then mix in 1 cup cold oat milk until the mocha base is uniform in color.
- Fill a tall glass with ice and pour the mocha mixture over the top. Add optional coconut whipped cream, a dusting of cocoa, or a honey drizzle for extra sweetness and presentation.
Notes
- Dissolve Cocoa Powder Completely: Mix the cocoa with honey first to prevent clumping. This helps it dissolve smoothly once liquid is added.
- Use Hot Espresso: Even in an iced mocha recipe, start with hot espresso or coffee so the cocoa fully dissolves and the drink stays silky, not grainy.
- Adjust Ratios to Taste: Boost chocolate flavor by increasing cocoa to 1½ tablespoons or add an extra teaspoon of honey for more sweetness.
- Brew Coffee Double-Strength: If using regular coffee instead of espresso, brew it extra strong so the flavor stays bold once it hits the ice.
Nutrition
Save This Recipe!
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Mara says
I second that, its so delicious! Love the healthy chocolate syrup idea. Thanks for sharing!
Anna Sandmeier-Lopez says
Super delicious! If you love chocolate, you are going to love this spin on a mocha. I sadly didn't have espresso, just used some instant coffee and worked great!